Safe or vault door.



E. A. STRAUSS. SAFE OR- VAULT DOOR. APPI i-IOATI ON FILED 001.213, 1905.

Patented Oct. 13,1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 .1 NO'RRIS' PEfEES CO, WASHINGTON, D. C.

EMIL A. STRAUSS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SAFE OR VAULT DOOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 13, 1908.

Application filed October 13, 1905. Serial No. 282,614.

To all whom it may concern:

Be is known that I, EMIL A. STnAUss, a citizen of the United States, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safe or Vault Doors; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to safe or vault doors and more especially to a door additional to the usual or main door of a safe or vault, commonly called an emergency door, the same being equipped with its own locking means separate from and independent of the locking means for the main door, and which is therefore, adapted to be opened to give access tothe interior of the safe or vault in case the opening of the main door is prevented by failure of the locking devices of the said main door to operate or from some other cause.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In a safe or vault constructed in accordance with my invention, the main door, which may be equipped with any desired or preferred form of locking means, is provided in the body, or within the margins thereof with a doorway or opening for an emergency door and with an emergency door adapted tofill' or close such doorway or opening, together with locking means for such emergency door, of any desired or preferred form, which locking means are separate and distinct from the locking means for the main door. In other words, the said main door and the emergency door, which latter is adapted to close an opening or doorway in the main door, are provided with separate and independent locking means adapted to be independently actuated, so that in case of failure from any cause of the locking devices of the main door to properly operate, the emergency door can be utilized as a means of gaining access to the safe or vault. v

As a separate improvement my invention includes a main door of circular form, and a circular door occupying the central portion circular form provided with bolt-work embracing radial bolts occupying the marginal part of the door only and a clrcular emergency door located within the central part of the main door inside of the bolt-work thereof, together with other features and details of construction relating to said main and emergency doors, as hereinafter pointed out and specified in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical form in which my invention may be embodied, the door illustrated in said drawings being of circular form and having marginally arranged bolt-work and a circular, centrally arranged, emergency door located within and carried by said main door.

As shown in the drawings :Figure 1 is a face view of a safe equipped with a main door and an emergency door embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an inside face view of the main door and emergency doors. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the main and emergency doors, together with the adjacent parts of the jamb or wall of the safe or vault that surrounds the main door, said section being taken on line 33 of F i9. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the actuating devices for the radially arranged bolts of the emergency door. As shown in said drawings, A indicates the wall of a safe or vault, in which is formed an opening or doorway, and B the main door which fits within and closes said opening or doorway in the usual or any preferred manner.

O indicates an auxiliary or emergency door which fits within and serves to close the emergency opening or doorway formed within the main door B.

D is a hinge member by which the main door B is movably supported on the safe or vault, so that it may be swung into and out of its position within the main doorway or opening. Said hinge member D has upper and lower, horizontal, outwardly extending arms d d which are connected by vertical pivots with lugs D D attached to the wall A of the said safe or vault at one side of the door, and is also provided with upper and lower horizontal arms (Z (Z which are connected by vertical pivots with lugs D D" attached to the door B near the top and bottom thereof.

In the form of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the emergency door is supportedon the main door B. 111 said drawings E indicates a. hinge member or crane hinge for supporting the emergency door (J upon the main door B. Said hinge member E has horizontal, outwardly extending, upper and lower arms 0 c which are pivotally connected by vertical pivots with lugs E E attached to the main door B at one side of the emergency door. The hinge member E is also provided with inwardly extending, horizontal, upper and lower arms 0 e which are connected by vertical pivots with lugs E E* attached to the emergency door (1 near the top and bottom thereof.

In order to provide for the necessary swinging movement of the hinge members D and E without interference with each other, a construction is provided as follows: The main or upright portion of the hinge memberl) is located at such distance laterally from the pivotal axis of the hinged connection between the said hinge member and the main door as to permit the hinge member E to swing outwardly at right angles or nearly so to the face of the main door; the inner margin of said main part of the hinge member I) for this purpose being located at a greater distance from the pivots connecting the arms 0 c with the emergency door, than from the pivots connecting the hinge member E and the main door B, the result of this arrangement of the parts being that the hinge member E may be swung out-- wardly, in opening the emergency door, far enough to permit the said door to be fully opened before the said hinge member E comes in contact with the said inner margin of the upright part of the hinge member D. The inner arms (Z d of said hinge member D are, moreover, vertically separated by a spacegreater than the height of the hinge member E and the emergency door C, so that the said door and the part of the hinge member E adjacent thereto may be swung outwardly into the said space between said arms (Z (Z The main door B is shown as provided with a common form of pressure devices or means for forcing the door tightly into place within the door jamb, the same as illustrated consisting of two horizontal parallel rock shafts or pressure bars F F having eccentrically arranged projections at their ends adapted to engage holding-members F E on the safe or vault wall, together with actuacting means for said rock shafts, embracing tive connection with the rock shafts F I by means of beveled gears f j", and a rotativc hand wheel F having geared conncction of any suitable character with the shaft I for turning the latter.

The emergency door E is shown as provided with a like device for forcing it against its seat, the same consisting of a horizontal rock shaft or pressure bar (i mounted on the outer face of the. door and having at its ends projections which engage locking members G (H on the main door i. together with a hand wheel (i having gcarcd connection of any suitable character with said rock shaft G for turning the same. The pressure devices for both the main and emergency doors operate to maintain the doors in parallel relation with the door openings or jambs in which they lit, as said doors are moved inwardly and outwardly, thereby assuring the proper seating of the doors against the bearing or contact surfaces of the jambs.

The bolt-work illustrated in connection w it h the main door is similar to that shown and described in my Letters Patent No. 827.995 issued August- Tth, 1906. Said bolt-worlvi embraces two bearing rings ll ll attached to the inner face of the door conccntrically with each other, one ring being near the outer margin of the door and the other a short distance inside of said margin, and a plurality of radially arranged, cylindrical bolts I I- I which fit and slide endwise in bearing apertures formed in said bearing rings.

J indicates a bolt actuating ring which is located between the outer and inner bearing rings H H and extends bet ween the several bolts and the face of the door. Said actuat ing ring is provided with a plurality of gear segments J J that extend from the side face of the ring into the spaces between the bolts. Each of the bolts is provided with lateral gear teeth located between the ends of the same and in the space between the two bca ring rings ll H K K indicate gear pinions which turn on axes perpendicular to the safe door and are located between the bearing rings ll ll in the spaces between the bolts; said gcar pinions intermeshing with the lateral gear teeth on the bolts and also with the gear segments J J Said gear pinions serve to transmit motion from the actuating ring J to the scv e 'al bolts, so that by the turning of the ring simultaneous and equal movement is given to all of the bolts for casting and retracting the same. The gear pinions K are mounted on studs 7: Z: which are rigidly allixcd to the door and project inwardly from the inncr face thereof.

L indicates an actuating spindle which extends through the door and by means of an upright actuating shaft F having operawhich motion is given to the bolt-work from the exterior of the door in casting and retracting the bolts. Said spindle L is provided outside of the door with a lever or handle L (Fig. 1), and on the inner face of the door with a gear pinion L which intermeshes with one of the gear pinions K. When the spindle L is turned said pinion L transmits rotary motion to the gear pinion engaged therewith and from the latter to the actuating ring J.

M indicates a dogging bolt which is arranged radially and slides in a groove in the inner face of the safe door. The outer end of said dogging bolt is adapted to engage a notch in the inner margin of the actuating ring J. The inner end of said dogging bolt is connected with a yoke-piece a at a point between the ends thereof; and the ends of said yoke-piece are connected with the ends of the endwise movable members of two combination locks N N N N (Fig. 1), indicate the knobs of said combination locks, located onthe outer face of the door. The actuation of either of said combination locks results in the dogging bolt being drawn inwardly and released from engagement with the ring J.

0 indicates a time lock which controls the movement of the dogging bolt.

Instead of the actuating spindle L described, the main door may be equipped with spring actuated automatic bolt actuating mechanism, controlled by a clock or timing mechanism, or an electrically operated means may be employed for the bolts.

The locking mechanism for the inner or emergency door consists, as shown in the accompanying drawing, of bolt-work constructed substantially like that shown and described in my Letters Patent issued July 9th, 1907.

As clearly seen in Figs. 2 and 4:, P indicates a bearing ring attached to the door adjacent to the margin thereof and Q Q a plurality of radial bolts arranged to slide endwise in said bearing ring.

Q Q indicate radial, endwise movable rack bars, which are severally attached at their outer ends to the bolts Q Q and arranged in offset relation to said bolts.

R indicates a central supporting plate which covers the inner ends of the several rack bars, and S is a centrally arranged pivot stud on which is mounted a rotative gear pinion S Said gear pinion is located between the plate R and the inner face of the door and the racks Q Q intermesh with the gear pinion S and are arranged relatively to the pinion in opposite pairs. The rack bars belonging to alternate bolts are, moreover, arranged in different planes so that the two sets of rack bars are in overlapping relation, as clearly seen in Fig. 4-. In the construction shown in the drawings,

casting and retracting the bolts Q and that rotation of said pinion in one direction or the other will give simultaneous and equal movement to all of said bolts. Casting and retracting movement maybe given to the bolt-work described 30 through the medium of an operating spindle T which extends through the door to the outside of the same. Said spindle is shown as having on its inner end a pinion T which intermeshes with gear teeth on the side of one of the bolts Q. T Fig. 1, indicates a hand lever on the outer end of the spindle T, by means of which the same may be actuated to throw the bolts. Instead of em ploying an operating spindle such as described, casting and retracting movement may be given to the bolts through the use of a spring actuated, automatic bolt actuating device located on the inner faces of the door and controlled by a clock or timing mechanism, or by electrically actuated means, as is heretofore common. I have, however, shown in the drawings, as a means for controlling the bolt-work, two combination locks V V which are mounted on the plate R and the moving parts of which are connected with the ends of a bar or yoke 14. The central part of said bar a is connected by a link '0 with the laterally extending arm 42 of a dogging lever V, the free end of which is adapted for engagement with a lug or stud q on one of the bolts Q. The operating knobs of the combination locks V and V on the outside of the door are indicated by V V in Fig. 1.

l/V indicates a time lock which is also mounted on the supporting plate R. Said time lock may be employed to dog the bolts Q and thereby prevent the withdrawal thereof until the time set for the safe to be opened, as is determined by the operation of the time lock. Said time lock is shown as provided with a dogging bar w, arranged to slide endwise in the casing of the time lock, and the outer end of which, when the bar is extended, stands in the path of a lug g on one of the bolts Q, so as to prevent inward movement of said bolt. Said dogging bar will be controlled by the time lock in the usual manner, the same being advanced to and held in its dogging position when the time lock is set for operation, and released and allowed to slide inwardly at a time determined by the running of the turning mechanism of the time-lock.

It is to he understood that the con'ihination locks and time locks, shown as applied for the purpose of controlling the lmlt-work of the main and emergency doors, are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, merely for the purpose of indi *ating one practi :al embodiment of my invention and that, so far as the essential features of my invention are concerned, any suitable or desired form of electric or spring operated bolt actuating mochanisnrmay he used ooth for the main and emergency doors.

lhe employment of an emergency door or size to permit access to the safe or vault located within or carried by the main door oi the said safe or vault and provided with locking means operahle indepemlently ot the locking means of the main door in accord ance with my invention has a numher of ad vantages as compared with an emergency door located in the walls of a vault or safe separate from said main door, some oi which may be stated as follows: The cost of constructing the walls of a vault or safe provided with two doors, viz; a main door and an emergency door is very much greater than when the safe or vault is provided with one opening, viz; that for the main door only. Moreover, the opening for the auxiliary door may be much more easily and cheaply constructed in the main. door than in the wall of the safe or vault itself. Furthermore, it is frequently found ditlicult to provide a place for locating, in the walls 01: a vault or safe, an auxiliary or emergency as well as a main door, without the sacrifice 01'. space within the building in which the safe or vault is located. that would he available for other purposes.

an important advantage is gained by malting the main and emergency doors of circular form, for the reason that the outer marginal surface of the main and emergency doors, as well as the inner marginal surface of the main door, which forms the jamh tor the emergency door, may be given accurate form by a grinding or like process, much more readily and economically when said marginal surfaces are circular than when of other shape.

While I have shown the bolt-work oi my earlier application in the accompanying drawings for the purpose of exemplifying my present invention, yet it is to he understood that I do not wish to limit myself to any particular form or construction of or in the locking means employed in connection either with the main or emergency door, and that said locking means may include either holt-worh' 0' any other means l'or sc-- curing the doors in closed position, and that the actuating means for operating the loching means may cithcr cmhracc parts extending through the doors, as in the case ol' colll hination hicks, or may he without such parts, as in the case ot spring actuated, or automatic holt actuating mechanisms, or electric holt actuating devices.

It is to he 't'urthcr understood that i do not desire to limit my invention to any of the i'eaturcs or lelails of construction dcscrihcd and illustrated in the accompanying drawin s, except so tar as the same are specified in the appended claims.

t claim as my invention 2* 1.. The comhination with a main sale or vault door provided with an opening in its central part, and locking mcans thcrel'or embracing holts, means for casting and rctracting the holts and holt dogging means, all of said locking means hcing located upon the marginal part ol said door exterior ot the said opening. o'l. an emergency door adapted to lit within hut which is l( movahle from said opening, and locking means for said emergency door cmhracing holts, means for casting and rctracting the holts and holt dogging means, said locking means heing mounted upon said emergency door and being operahlc indcpemlcntly ol' the operation of the locking means hclonging to the main door. I

2. The comhination with a main sal'e door e't circular form provided with a central, circular opening therein and locking means cmhracing radially arranged holts, means ilor casting and retracting the holts and holt dogging means. all located within the annular space hetwcen the said central opening and the edge oi the main door, ot' a circular emergency door adapted to lit within and removahle from said opening. and locking means For said rmcrgcney door cmhracing locking holts, means tor casting and rctracting the holts, and holt dogging means. said locking means hcing mounted on said emergency door and operahlc independently o! the T tltlilOll ol the locking means helonging to the main door.

.ln testimony, that i claim the l'orcgoing as my invention l alliX my signature in prcsonce of two witnesses, this nth day ol ()cloher A D. 1905.

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